On the Road to Leadership: Nurturing Your Potential in a Changing Library World

By Sophia Guevara, MLIS, at2589@wayne.edu

Introduction

We see it displayed on television, read about it in the newspapers, and witness it within the workplace. Those who aspire to it study the underlying philosophy within books and discuss it within the classroom. With so much written about the subject and so many examples provided, why does the concept of leadership continue to pose such a formidable challenge for those who wish to implement it?

The American Heritage Dictionary (1992) defines leadership as “the capacity or ability to lead”. While this succinct definition provides the reader with meaning, it doesn’t provide very much. How does someone know if they have the capacity to lead? Is it something people are born with or can it be developed? How can you plan a leadership path and become a leader?

While it would be impossible to provide you, the reader, with an exhaustive study of leadership’s philosophy and methods of implementation within so few pages, I intend to focus on several of the major topics associated with it. These will include identifying leaders and their characteristics, the importance of vision, and a look at the subtle difference of leadership within various roles. Further, I will provide suggestions that readers can implement in their own path towards becoming a leader.

Leaders and their Characteristics

What is a leader? From the dictionary definition, you can infer that a leader is an individual who has the ability to lead. They come from a variety of backgrounds and may be either loud or quiet, boisterous or shy (Carnegie, 1993). Among other things, the position requires self-assurance, an innovative mind, respect for others, the ability to personalize a situation, and an appreciation for potential.

An innovative mind along with a positive attitude is essential for leaders. Innovation is the life force of a successful organization. It can increase efficiency, boost workplace morale, and increase the value of the organization as a whole. It helps organizations be proactive about change rather than reactive, which can mean less of a chance of getting caught up in the swell. A positive outlook coupled with an innovative idea in a bad situation can help an organization recover from something that could potentially end in disaster (Tichy, 1997).

A second characteristic of a successful leader is that they keep in mind that they remain a work in progress. This thought is significant for two main reasons. It is important for leaders to commit to change not only within the organization but also in themselves. Change can help ward off stagnant minds which can give rise to stagnant organizations. Stagnation will threaten the success of both the leader and the organization. Additionally, a work in progress implies the continuous need for improvement. Leaders must be humble enough to know that they are not infallible. They must be self-assured so that they do not interpret opposing views as a threat. They should be able to winnow out the constructive from the destructive criticism that is offered to them and possess the wisdom to know the difference.

Third, a leader’s ability to personalize a situation makes him or her that much more effective. In The Leadership Engine, the author writes that the best leaders are often able to weave together essential elements in a situation and present them within a vibrant story (Tichy, 1997). The ability to present information within a humanized context serves the leader well. Individuals are more willing to cooperate when they can view themselves as playing an important role in the overall plan rather than having something forced upon them. Humanization of the situation is key.

Fourth, the appreciation for potential is yet another important factor in the success a leader. Striving to live up to your own potential as well as encouraging those that you lead to do the same, is central for the overall success of the organization. In order to do so, the leader must cultivate a culture of growth by emphasizing the possibilities rather than focusing on the constraints (Smallwood, Ulrich, Zenger, 1999). For an organization like the library, this could mean expanding the types of services delivered to patrons to increase customer service. For those that you lead, it means the wisdom to view each person as unique in his or her own right. Emphasizing the growth of the positive within an individual rather than focusing on their faults will better serve the organization in the long run. Essentially, view others as you would yourself - a work in progress.

In Carnegie’s book, The Leader in You, the author writes of Burt Manning’s address to an audience of young men and women. These individuals, many just starting their careers, were eager to hear the chairman’s secret for a long and successful career. Noting the importance of intelligence and drive, Manning went on to describe what he believed to be the most important characteristic of all: adherence to the Golden Rule (Carnegie, 1993).

The Importance of Powerful Vision

What is powerful vision? In order to answer to this question, it is important to first understand what vision is. In this context, vision is a “mental model of a future state of a process, a group or an organization….It is a world that requires an act of faith.” (Nanus, 1992). But what sets aside vision from powerful vision? What makes the latter so important to an organization?

As stated above, vision is a picture of what can be. Usually, it is formed in the mind within a perfect set of circumstances. A poorly concocted vision may neglect to take into full account the history and current culture of the organization. Potential concerns of the staff may be disregarded and their current capabilities exaggerated. Rather than increasing the capability and results of an organization, this type of vision can decrease the very morale of those who will work towards its implementation. One of the major differences between these two types of visions is that the powerful version takes reality into account, but doesn’t allow it to limit it. As Professor Hornstein at Columbia once wrote, innovative change “must involve the expression of an idea that is somewhat or wholly inconsistent with existing practice” (Tichy, 1997).

In his book, Visionary Leadership, Nanus cites several properties of powerful vision. These include ambition, the reflection of high ideals and purpose, inspiration of enthusiasm and commitment, and the appropriateness of the vision for the organization (Nanus, 1992). In order to create this type of vision, knowledge and understanding are two of the main ingredients. Knowledge of the organization itself (including history and current culture), familiarity with those who serve as well as those who are served, and an understanding of what could be will help a leader form a vision with enough foresight to break the mold but enough insight to know that it is appropriate. Should the current capabilities of the organization fall short of what is needed, powerful vision will include a plan to expand upon them.

Leadership displays within various roles

In order to better understand leadership, it is important to note its displays within various roles. For instance, managers and leaders have the capacity to demonstrate different styles of leadership within their own levels. In his book, Burt Nanus provides helpful examples to better define the subtle differences within leadership. The manager imitates and administers while the leader originates and innovates. As for people, the manager utilizes control while the leader cultivates trust (Nanus, 1992).

While the demonstration of leadership is different within each role, both the manager and leader need each other in order to effectively fulfill them. The manager needs the leader to provide the powerful, innovative vision to move the organization forward. The leader needs the manager to take responsibility to get things done right so that the vision can be fulfilled. A leader who has short-range vision and is unable to cultivate trust provides a disservice to the manager and to the whole organization. The manager who is unable to administer the details that are called for by the vision, hinders the leader and does a disservice to those that are managed.

How can I start a path towards becoming a leader?

Now that you understand some of the qualities required of a leader, how do you start on your own path to becoming one? For success in this endeavor, it is essential that you begin with drive, focus, innovation, positive thinking, and an inquisitive mind. Drive without focus will leave you accomplishing very little. Too much energy spread over too large an area will leave you feeling drained with little to show for it. Focus without drive will leave you holding little more than the vision you have created. The lack of an inquisitive mind will make it very hard to produce innovative ideas. The lack of positive thinking will allow disappointment to derail you before you have made much progress on this long and difficult journey.

The first step you must take is to understand why you want to become a leader. Is it the prestige and salary that interests you most or is it the ability to take your passion and put it to use in a focused and practical way? If you have picked the first reason, being a leader is probably not the best decision. Prestige and salary can be long forgotten when you find yourself working long into the night developing a strategy to deal with impending issues. Passion for what you do and the resolve to see it through are some of the most important qualities that an aspiring leader can possess.

The second step requires you to focus in on the environment in which you would like to lead. Would you like to become a leader within your library? Do you want to become a leader within an organization such as the Michigan Library Association? Do you want to start a group that will help fulfill an unmet need within the community? Once you identify where you can become a leader, make a plan that will help you get there. A plan should include these things:

A well-developed vision that you can work towards.
An honest assessment of your current skills and the steps you can take to improve or add to them.
List small steps towards your vision that can serve as benchmarks for your progress. This should include contributions that you can make to the profession such as publishing, becoming actively involved within organizations, etc.
Realistic time line for the completion of your goals.
List people who can offer you assistance on your path to becoming a leader. Developing such a network may provide future opportunities to develop yourself as a leader.
Identify several leaders who hold positions close to what you aspire to. Take inventory of the leaders’ skills and characteristics. These people can serve as examples and help you develop your own leadership style. It is important to note that while these leaders may be observed, they should not be emulated. A leader after all, is their own person.

Remember that the plan you have created is a living document and should always be considered as such. It should never be viewed as a document that requires strict adherence. Rather, it should serve as a guide that can be modified when necessary.

Conclusion

The path to becoming a leader is a long and difficult road. For those who choose it, the motivations should be selfless. Money and status will not see you through the difficult times that test the mettle of every leader. Passion and resolve will. This is not to say that those with selfish motives don’t make it to this level - Kenneth Lay did. But in most cases, leaders will need to rely on other strong motivators to ensure the long term success of their organizations and themselves.

On the road to becoming a leader, always remember your true value and worth. Help those around you do the same. Don’t fall prey to apathy even though you may see it around you. Encourage these people to live up to their promise, even as you are working to fulfill your own. In the end, your reward will be the realization of your own potential as well as witnessing others fulfill the potential you saw in them long before they could ever see it in themselves.

References

Carnegie, Dale and Associates, Inc. (1993). The leader in you: How to win friends, influence people, and succeed in a changing world. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Nanus, B. (1992). Visionary leadership. San Francisco, CA: Josey Bass, Inc.

Pandya, M., & Shell, R. (2005). Lasting leadership: what you can learn from the top 25 business people of our times. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Smallwood, N., Ulrich, D., & Zenger, J. (1999). Results-based leadership. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Soukhanov, A.H., et al (Ed.). (1992). The American Heritage dictionary of the English language (3rd ed.) New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Tichy, N. M. (1997). The leadership engine: How winning companies build leaders at every level. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc.

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